New special exhibition: "HAENEYEO - Women of the Sea"

Haenyeo are women of the sea. A South Korean tradition that dates back more than a thousand years. The women free dive after animals and plants and live in close union with the sea, the waves and blizzards. In this special exhibition: ”HAENYEO – Women of the Sea”, M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark tell the story of these female free divers who live on the island of Jeju just off the South Korean Coastal line. A tradition built upon togetherness, discipline, sustainable fishing and a Shamanistic religion that praise a spiritual connection to the goddess of the sea. It is a community where the women feed their families while the men stay at home taking care of domestic chores and the children, a culture so unusual that it is on the Unesco World Heritage list.

The viewer is placed in front of 26 outstanding photographic portraits of female free divers shot by the photographer Hyung S. Kim. They portray the Haenyeo women coming out of the sea after a strenuous and dangerous workday. They are tired and worn out, but still strong and powerful. Most of these women are between the age of 60-80. In the Haenyeo culture it is important to live in harmony with nature. There are strict rules about which animals and plants to harvest and when to do so. The women dive without the use of oxygen masks, harpoons or other modern aids. They have developed a breathing technique that enables them to stay under water for a longer time. All of this to ensure a gentle way of fishing, to avoid over exploitation of the natural resources and secure food for generations to come. This is one of the reasons why the exhibition takes place at The Maritime Museum of Denmark:

“Maritime history is about people and their relation to the sea. It’s often about controlling or exploiting the sea, but the Haenyeo culture shows us a different way of living with the sea – in harmony, togetherness and with sustainability is a guiding star. We think this is inspirational in a time where all of us need to learn how to be in and with nature in a sustainable way. It’s also the first exhibition with female leading characters at the museum – but it will definitely not be the last. At M/S we work towards expanding the maritime history and include new perspectives and voices.” Sarah Giersing, Head of Exhibitions, M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark.

Until the 15^th century the men also dived but as time went on the women continued and the men stopped. “The men froze too much without a diving suit. The women also froze but we just kept going”, says one of the women in the exhibition, Jeong-Ja Kim, a 86 year old Haenyeo. Through generations the Haenyeo women have gathered great knowledge of the ocean and marine life. This profession is inherited and the girls learn the Haenyeo skills from a very early age. But the culture is threatened because many of the young women on Jeju choose other occupations or travel to the mainland to study.

This exhibition is produced upon the initiative of Minjeong Ko, who resides in Sweden and is a decendant of a Haenyeo. The photographer Hyung S. Kim has followed and photographed the women. The Korean documentary ”Breathing Underwater” is also part of the exhibition. In the film the women tell stories about community and spirituality. As a guest it is possible to make a wish to the goddess of the sea in the same way the diving women of Jeju have done for centuries.

The special exhibition: ”HAENYEO – Women of the Sea" has been extended until january14th, 2024. The exhibition is produced by "Sjöfartsmuseet Akvariet" i Göteborg, Sweden.